EE106 - JOHN 1:14 : GOD'S SUPREME REVELATION [2] - The Word became flesh [1]

In his first letter John makes this momentous statement: "This is how you can recognise the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God..." (1Jn 4:2-3).
    This underlines the seriousness of any error with regard to the doctrine about Christ. John continues: "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him" (2Jn 9-10).
    On this point the Bible is quite clear: If Satan has one goal as far as the church is concerned, it is to mislead it so that it embraces the lie. Without truth we can not be true Christians or the true church. And the apostle quite clearly states that the teaching of Christ lies at the heart of true doctrine.

❏    During the first two centuries the battle between the truth and the lie was of a general nature. But during the third and fourth centuries the conflict became more specific. It focussed on the trinity of God. Eventually clarity was reached at the Councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381). These Synods accurately formulated the orthodox doctrine of the trinity, while at the same time exposing the heretical teachings about it.
    The next conflict was about the person of Jesus Christ. We need not go into the many errors and heresies in this regard. Suffice to say that the church and all its most godly thinkers devoted considerable attention to the formulation of a clear and balanced Scripture-based formulation.

❏    Finally, the orthodox and historical teaching about the person of Jesus Christ was formulated in 451 at the Council of Chalcedon ("630 holy and blessed fathers"). It is reflected in the great articles of faith of the 16th century Reformation, as can be seen from the following extracts from the Belgic Confession, paragraphs 18 & 19:
    He ... became like unto man, really assuming the true human nature with all its infirmities, sin exepted ... did not only assume human nature as to the body, but also a true human soul, that He might be a real man ...
    ... two natures united in one single person; yet each nature retains its own distinct properties ... these two natures are so closely united in one person that they were not separated, even by His death ... Wherefore we confess that He is very God and very man: very God by His power to conquer death; and very man that He might die for us according to the infirmity of His flesh.

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR TEXT

❏    Our text from John 1:14 is made up of only two words in the Greek, both of which convey astounding truths, but can lead to some serious misunderstandings unless we look at them continually against the backdrop of the rest of New Testament witness.

❏    The expression "the Word became flesh" is unique in the Bible. There are other statements which convey more or less the same idea, but we have here a conciseness and balance which makes it the classic pronouncement that it is.
    Here are a few similar New Testament statements: Rom 1:3: "(Jesus) who as to his human nature was a descendant of David..."; Gal 4:4: "God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law"; Phil 2:7: "(Jesus took) the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness..."; 1Tim 3:16: "He appeared in a body..."; Hb 2:14 says that He became "flesh and blood" and 1Jn 4:2 that "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh".

❏    We should note that John does not say merely that the Word became a human being, or that He adopted a human body. The apostle uses a Greek word which is almost too shocking to use in respect of the eternal Word: he says that the Word became, as it were, "meat", and so emphasises the frailness, dependence and mortality of man. Of course it includes all of man, body as well as soul. The Creator of heaven and earth entered the physical, mundane life of mortals, in fact, became one of us!

❏    He "became" flesh. This is an ordinary verb, pointing to a specific moment in the past. However, we need to consider this carefully to avoid any misunderstanding of its true meaning.

    •    One could deduce from this that the Word did not exist previously. However, John avoided this misinterpretation by stating in verse 1 that He was "from the beginning".

    •    It could also be interpreted as meaning that the Word ceased to be what He had been previously - in other words that the Son changed his godly identity for that of a human being, that He surrendered his godly attributes and sovereign prerogatives either permanently or temporarily.
    There is not the faintest suggestion that v.1 was replaced by v.14. In fact, John continues, "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (14b). And in v. 18 he calls Him "God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side".
    Furthermore the Bible repeatedly assures us that He still is, and will remain for all eternity and in every respect, truly God.

❏    No, the only way of interpreting this prologue to the book of John is to see it in terms of adding and combining. The Son surrendered none of his deity, but rather added to it a human nature. He still is what He has been since all eternity. He did, however, acquire what He had never had before - but this He will never lose. Atanasius expressed it as follows 1500 years ago: "He became what He had never been before and will continue to be what He has always been".
    This is a truth on which there can be no compromise: Jesus is both fully God and fully man, without affecting either of his two natures. He is God-man, not a godly man nor a humanly God.

WHAT DOES IT SAY TO US?

❏    Much of the agonising attempts to understand the person of Christ accurately may sound like hairsplitting to some. And certainly one can place too much emphasis on orthodoxy, and in the process become scholastic, which in turn leads to a preoccupation with things which have not been revealed to us. It is equally true, however, that a clear understanding and meticulous formulation of the basic truths about the person of Christ are essential if we are to avoid crossing the subtle boundaries between orthodoxy and heresy. Many individuals and churches have perished because of their failure to do so.

❏    Let us therefore get our thinking straight about our Lord Jesus Christ.
    To many naive and sentimental churchgoers He is still the little baby in the manger, but then we could quite justifiably question the worth of such a Christ to you and me.
    For many millions of church people he is still on the cross  -  thus remaining a pathetic, helpless Christ who cannot help Himself, let alone save you and me in this life and for all eternity. Is it surprising that these people eventually turned to Mary and made her their mediator?

❏    The Son had to become man in order to become a perfect substitute for us. Man has sinned and therefore a man must lead us out of the dark maze of sinfulness. There is at this moment a glorified human being in heaven, who looks after our interests.

    •    As our great Prophet He, as fully God, but also as fully man, continues to lead us in the paths of truth. The teaching he gave, and the example He set, was that of a man. It is, in other words, not unreal and totally unattainable. For instance, what is there in his sermon on the mount that you and I cannot carry out in life? A child can understand it, a child can do it. Read it again and note the simplicity of His teaching.

    •    As our great High Priest He sacrificed Himself on the cross for us, both as fully God and as fully man. Only God could carry the burden of the sin of millions. But man sinned, and therefore a man had to pay the penalty.
    Also think, for instance, of his intercession with the Father. It is not that of an outsider putting in a casual good word for us with God. No, it is the Head of the new humanity pleading for His people - those who have become part of Him through faith. There is an inseparable unity and solidarity between Him and us. So great is his love for us, so unthinkable to Him is a future without us, that He prays as if it is He himself who is held helpless in the vice-grip of sin.

    •    As our mighty King, but also as perfect man, He will bring our salvation to its final conclusion. Man it is who has sinned and man must wrest himself from the consequences. There is a Man who managed to do this on our behalf, One who is now engaged in the cleaning up operations. There is a Man who will bring our salvation to its perfect conclusion.

Truly, in Christ man will reach all that he was created for in the beginning. God's plans and purposes are never thwarted! In fact, because of the fall His glory will shine forth so much more brilliantly than without it. Why? Because now we experientially understand God's grace. If it had not been for the fall, we would not have known it, because by definition God's grace is shown to people who not only do not deserve it, but who deserve the opposite  -  eternal damnation.                                                                                 Nico van der Walt

EE105 - JOHN 1:14 : GOD'S SUPREME REVELATION [1] - "The Word"

Without doubt John 1:14 is one of the most astounding verses in the whole of Scripture. It opens up to us awesome truths of such richness that we will need to look at it more than once. To start off with, let us concentrate on the first two words only: "The Word ..." (NIV).

THE WORD

❏    We will not properly understand v.14 unless we also take cognisance of v.1  -  and especially of the vitally important concept of "the Word".
    If we look at vv. 2-13 as being in parentheses, the apostle's idea becomes clear: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... (and the) Word became flesh..."

❏    According to Jn 20:30-31 it is John's intention to lead both Jews and non-Jews to faith with his writing: the Jews, by persuading them that Jesus is, in fact, the long-awaited Christ;  and the non-Jews, by getting them to understand that Jesus is the Son of God and God the Son.

❏    With the introduction of his grand theme the apostle is faced with a huge dilemma. The terms "Christ" and "Son of God" are loaded concepts for his readers, and he has no intention of losing some of them right at the onset, or creating false concepts in the minds of others.
    The Jews will most certainly be all ears when they realise that he is writing about the Christ. But they are expecting a Messiah with an earthly mission, with almost exclusively political aims. But John realises the vital importance of getting them to understand that Jesus is truly God.
    And as for the heathen, when they read about the "Son of God", they would be sure to think of someone supposedly born out of the union between one of the gods and an earthly woman  -  a common theme in Greek mythology. And what blasphemy that would be!
    No, John wants to make sure that his readers understand that the One about whom he is writing, is absolutely unique and exalted  -  not just one of many, not just another messiah, not just any Christ; and certainly not just another heathen idol.

❏    That is why the apostle, before he even starts explaining that the Lord Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, clearly and unequivocally drives home the point that the Person about whom he is writing is truly and fully God!
    However, in order to avoid any misunderstanding he must first call his Main Character by another name; not "Christ" or "Son of God". And here John is lead by the Holy Spirit to make a brilliant choice. He calls Him "the Word" (Gr. Logos). To both Jew and Greek this term is loaded with meaning. Unlike the other terms, Logos evokes the loftiest of ideas in the minds of both types of readers.

    •    Among the heathen the concept of the Logos was quite common. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus (600 B.C.) taught that the Logos was the soul of the universe  -  the creative energy from which everything originated, who regulates everything, maintains everything, and keeps the entire universe in equilibrium.
    The more contemporary Stoics expanded the concept. To them the Logos was the omnipresent wisdom through which everything was created and is being directed.
    The heathen associated the Logos with the most high God. John therefore knows that his choice of terminology will ensure that his pagen readers will understand that he is writing to them about the all-sufficient Originator of everything  -  the uncaused cause of everything.

    •    The Jews had even stronger associations with the idea of the Logos. For them John's introductory words (v.1) would bring to mind the very first words of Genesis, "In the beginning...".
    And, of course, the concept Logos, or Word, would remind them of God's creation of the world. The expression "And God said" appears nine times in Gen 1. In fact, to the Jews Logos had the meaning of God's almighty, creating word.
    In Ps 33:6, 9 we read, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth ...  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." And in Isa 55:11, "...  so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
    From the above it is clear that when God speaks, He does something. Thus the Jews also associated the term Logos with Godly action.
    Moreover, the Jews regarded it as a sign of disrespect to use God's name when talking about Him, and preferred to refer to Him in indirect terms such as "the Holy One", "the Name", or "the Word".
    By using the term "Logos" John is therefore saying to the Jews: He is the One I am writing about  -   He, the omnipotent and holy Creator of heaven and earth.

THE EXALTEDNESS OF THE WORD

❏    In the verses preceeding v.14 John makes at least 8 statements about the exaltedness of the Word, each of which would be acceptable to every thinking Jew and Greek.

    •    In the beginning was the Word (1). The form of the verb in Greek (Imperfect Tense) points towards the passage of time in the past. In other words, when time and everything that exists came into being, the Word already existed. He was there from all eternity.

    •    The Word was with God (1) (again the Imperfect Tense). The Word has always been with God. From all eternity there has been an intimate association between them.

    •    The Word was God (1) (still the Imperfect Tense). Yes, the Word is distinct from God, yet He is not a created being. In fact, He has been God from all eternity. Here John is touching on the differences within the unity of the Godhead. But none of his unbelieving readers would realize it.

    •    Through Him all things were made (3, 10). The statement that He is the Creator of the universe would not have bothered the Jews nor the Greeks.

    •    In Him was life (4). There is no living creature in creation that has not received life from the Word as life-giving power and source of everything.

    •    That life was the light of men (4, 9). John is already here alluding to the fact that the Word is the Revealer of God. But the pagans would have interpreted the statement philosophically, while the Jews would have seen it as a personification of wisdom, in the light of Proverbs 8.

    •    His own did not receive Him (11). The reader would agree, saying to himself that there will always be fools among us who never think and never comprehend.

    •    There are however some who accept Him (12). "Indeed!", the readers would have congratulated themselves.

    Surely, no author can introduce the main character of his book in a loftier manner to his readers!

APPLICATION

❏    We must be careful not to miss the strong emphasis placed in the New Testament on the deity of Christ.
    It is only too easy to think of Him merely as that wonderful man from Nazareth, who has set such a wonderful example to us by the loving and caring way in which He lived. Yes, the Word did indeed become flesh, and He was and still is fully man  -  but without this strong emphasis by John our Christology easily becomes watered down to a man-centred caricature which is totally irreconcilable with Biblical revelation.
    The pale, effeminate Jesus of Medieval art, and the sentimental Jesus of so much of today's preaching, cannot save anybody. And such a man-made Christ is very definitely not the King of kings and the Lord of lords of whom John writes elsewhere  -  in Revelation.

❏    We would do well to remember that the New Testament authors present us with a Jesus who is both truly God, and a living Person.
    He is therefore infinitely more than the impersonal principle or power of John's heathen readers.
    Luke also uses the expression "the word". He refers to the apostles as those "who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word" (Luke 1:2, NIV). Does he mean the Lord Jesus or the gospel? Some translations would appear to attach the latter meaning to the term, although Luke talks of the apostles as being "eye-witnesses" of the word, which would seem to suggest that he is in fact talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. But he also calls them "servants" of the word, which could suggest the gospel.
    This was not an issue in the early church, because to those Christians the person of Jesus Christ was in fact the content of the gospel!
    This is exactly what Paul means when he states, "Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified... " (1 Cor 1:22-23), and, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). Last but not least, we read in Gal 3:1: "Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified". Therefore, although talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostle is really referring to the contents of his sermons.
    One who has come to know the risen, living and glorified Christ can never again proclaim anything or anybody else  -  least of all moralism or goodwill or nice-sounding sentiment. For such humanistic nonsense not one of the apostles would have been prepared to die (and died they certainly did  -  as martyrs). But they simply could not refrain from talking about God who became man and dwelt among them.
    That is how it has been through the ages. That is how it is now. That is how it will be forever.

Being a Christian is indeed a way of life, but not in the first place. Primarily it is a holy obsession with a Person  -  the Word of God, the first source of everything, God's highest revelation to man, the Son of God and God the Son.
                                                                                                             Nico van der Walt

EE108 - JOHN 1:14 : GOD'S SUPREME REVELATION [3] - The Word became flesh [2]

We have seen that John, by calling Jesus the Logos, is telling his readers that his Main Character is really and in every way the eternal and almighty God of heaven and earth. But then, after bringing it home to the reader by repeating it several times, he drops a bombshell in v.14 on both the Greek philosophical world and the Jewish religious world: this Word became flesh and came to live among us!
    We are looking at v.14 and for the moment more specifically at the fact that The Word became flesh. Last time we made sure that we understand John's words correctly. We also looked at the Bible's insistence on a pure Christology.
    Now we need to focus more specifically on this incarnation of the Son. This is surely one of the most perplexing teachings in the whole of Scripture and one we shall never be able to fully comprehend. But to the extent that you manage to understand and embrace this Biblical revelation, to that extent you will also be able to understand other truths in Scripture.

CONCEPTION AND BIRTH

❏    We speak of the virgin birth, which is in order, but we need to keep in mind that it is only the conception of the Son that was supernatural, not the pregnancy of Mary, or the birth itself. The Child was born "when the time came" (Lk 2:6) - i.e. probably after a pregnancy of 40 weeks.

❏    The supernatural aspect of the birth lies in 3 truths - and in them only:

    •    The conception was supernatural. Mary's womb was not entered by the seed of a man. It was the Holy Spirit "that came upon her" (Mt 1:20; Lk 1:35). But equally important is the fact that Mary was in every respect the biological mother of Jesus. It was her ovum that was impregnated.

    •    The Baby that was conceived was supernatural. It was not just a normal baby that had been conceived supernaturally, but the eternal Son of God, the second Person of the holy Trinity, the Word - from the very first moment of conception. The foetus that developed was truly the Son of God, from the time that He was a microscopically tiny cell, through all the phases of development, to the moment He was born  -  bloodied, defenceless and in a natural way.

    •    The baby was supernaturally protected against any defilement by sin from the womb. Whether this protection took place during conception, or whether it lasted throughout the 40 weeks of pregnancy, we do not know. But that it was supernatural and perfect, is a certainty.

THE HUMAN NATURE OF JESUS

❏    Many of the Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah (there are approximately 300 of them) make it quite clear that He would be fully human.
    He would have a human birth (Isa 7:14; 9:6), out of the tribe of Judah and the family of David (Jer 23:5-6). He would be subject to God's law and would keep it perfectly (Ps 40:6-10). He would die, be buried, and be held for a time in the grip of death (Isa 53; Ps 16:9-11; 22; 118:17-23). He would be flogged, tortured and spat upon (Isa 50:6), and so forth.

❏    We should never let the supernatural nature of Jesus' conception tempt us into believing that He did not have a true human nature. Except for the fact that He had no sin, He truly became one of us.
    The writer of the Hebrew letter puts it as follows: "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity ... For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way..." (2:14-17).

❏    The New Testament repeatedly affirms the fact that Jesus was human in every respect. Of course he was more than human, but also fully human. He had a human body, a human nature, a human mind.
    We see his humanness particularly in four areas:

    •    His physical, bodily life. He was born by normal birth out of a normal woman. At eight days he was circumcised like any normal Jewish boy. He grew up and developed normally (Lk 2:40, 52). In the second chapter of Luke, Jesus is described successively as a baby (16), a child (40) and a boy (43). He became hungry and ate; He grew tired and slept.
    It was because He was fully human that the townsfolk of Nazareth, where he grew up, were so surprised at his authority and wonders, saying, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" (Mk 6:3).

    •    His emotional life. Jesus not only had a human body, but also a human soul and spirit, and as such experienced typical human emotions. He loved (Jn 11:3,5); He got angry (Mk 3:5; Jn 11:33); He became sad (Jn 11:35; Lk 19:41); He experienced joy (Lk 10:21). We read over and over of his empathy with people in distress. And in Gethsemane he experienced shock, fear, confusion and emotional pain.

    •    His natural life. Although He did not share our sinful nature, He was limited by all our natural limitations. When he was born, He was as weak as a normal baby. He could not jump three metres high. His skin could be pierced by nails. There were things that He did not know: "Who touched my clothes?" (Mk 5:30); "How many loaves do you have?" (Mk 6:38).
    In Jn 11:34 Jesus asks Martha and Mary, "Where have you laid him?" Yet a short while later He raises Lazarus from the dead! He therefore had, at the same time, limitations and no limitations. He was ignorant of certain things as well as omniscient, powerless as well as omnipotent.
    This is the principle here: When Jesus acted supernaturally, it was through the power of the Holy Spirit, and then only at the will of the Father - and always for the glory of God, and to confirm his godly mission and mandate, never in his own interest.

    •    His spiritual life. He was tempted; He prayed; He studied the Scriptures; He fasted; He trusted in God.

❏    The Lord Jesus often referred to Himself as "the Son of man" (it appears in the Bible approximately 80 times). What did He mean by that? We find the answer in the Old Testament. In Ps 8:4 and Ps 146:3 the expression emphasises human frailty. In Ezekiel God uses this expression repeatedly when He addresses the prophet and so reminds him of his insignificance as human being. And in Dn 7:13 "one like a son of man" approaches the "Ancient of Days". This is a Messianic prophesy of the receipt by Christ of all authority in heaven and on earth - but that underlines that this happened to Him in his capacity as the man Christ Jesus.

A COMPLETE SAVIOUR

❏    In Rm 8:3 Paul makes a shocking statement, which takes him to the brink of blasphemy. Christ came in the likeness of sinful man. The apostle could certainly have put it less harshly, but he wishes to bring home a point.
    The word "likeness" implies a qualification: There was a limit to the extent of the Son's incarnation - He was fully human in all respects, except that He was sinless.
    But why does Paul use the term "likeness of sinful man" at all? Because he wishes to emphasise that Jesus came in such a manner as to make Him fully human. His identification and solidarity with us is almost absolute. He came as close to sinful humanity as He possibly could - without himself becoming a sinner. As the writer of the letter to the Hebrews puts it: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin" (Hb 4:15).

❏    There are three things we need to understand here:

    •    In order for Him to be our Substitute, Jesus Christ had to become one of us in every respect. Any element of our humanity that was not present in Him would have been excluded from his redemptive work. But God wants to save us completely - man in his totality. Nothing whatsoever may be excluded.

    •    But what then about sin? Surely it is an integral part of our make-up? No, no! In essence sin is not part of our humanity. Man was not created like that. Sinfulness came later. It is, in fact, completely unnatural. And it is the original that Jesus came to save and restore completely! Praise God!
    What then about sin? It is for the very purpose of ridding us of this strange and unnatural cancer that Jesus took it upon Himself to remove and destroy it for all eternity.

    •    Finally we need to keep in mind that Jesus came essentially as the Substitute and Successor to Adam - that is, the sinless Adam as he was before the Fall, the crowning glory of God's creation. In fact, after his resurrection Jesus was - as far as his humanity was concerned - what the original Adam would have become if he had remained faithful to God. Therefore He received the eternal and irreversible reward. And that is exactly where those of us who are in Christ are heading. In the first place the curse of the Fall has been removed as far as we are concerned (now already in principle, but one day completely). And the eternal prize for complete obedience (His obedience attributed to us) awaits us more surely than night follows day.
    Truly, 1 Jn 3:2 should be written on our hearts: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is".
    The more one meditates about and delves into the redemption that Jesus accomplished for those that the Father has entrusted to Him, the more you stand astounded by it all. It is eternal, irreversible and far more glorious than words can ever express.
    Oh, what a Redeemer Jesus Christ is! Perfect, perfect in the fullest sense of the word!

Nico van der Walt

TITBIT No.5 - THE HISTORIC CHRISTIAN FAITH

Some of the church members of the amous 19th century London preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one day came to him asking the question: "Mr. Spurgeon, how can we know that the gospel you are preaching is the true Word of God? After all, there are so many preachers in this city who preach a different gospel?"

            If this was a burning question in those days, how much more today  -  with so many voices preaching  -  each one insisting that his message is exactly what the Bible teaches. It is no wonder so many Christians in our time are totally confused and uncertain as to what they believe.

            For example, just the other day most church members here in our country considered it unbiblical for women to be elders in the church, and that children are not to partake of the Lord's Supper. But in many circles today you will be frowned upon if you question these common practises of our time. And many modern-day theologians are not disciplined by their denominations or seminaries when they question the Biblical revelation about Christ's virgin birth, His miracles, His resurrection, and even His historicity. It has apparently become fashion to move every faith beacon of earlier generations.

            In Spurgeon's later years Biblical criticism was also prevalent in England. In reaction to that, this was his wise answer: "If I walk back through the passages of time, many men and women of God stand up to shake my hand." And then he would mention a number of names of well-known Christians of the past  -  people of whom the fruit of their labours withstood the onslaught of many generations. What are we to learn from this? Spurgeon appealed to the consensus of truth which the church of almost all denominations confessed through the ages  -  the historic Christian faith!

            Essentially Spurgeon said: "Measure me with the measuring rod of history! See whether I preach something new. He was not an arrogant man, trying to develop his own theological wheel. He was totally happy to preach exactly the same gospel as the puritans and the reformers, as the church fathers, the apostles and the Lord Jesus Himself.

            This is why Spurgeon had another saying: "If it is true, it is not new; if it is new, it is not true!" What he understood we all must understand: Even if we live in a world which changes all the time, there are certain things which never change. This is a truism as unmoveable as the mountains. God never changes, nor His truth. Morally and essentially man has not developed since the fall. Has not the last century seen the most bloody wars of all time? It is because human sin and depravity has not changed. And surely that means that God's plan of redemption and the gospel never change. And exactly this is the reason why the church's calling and message of salvation never change!

A few important perspectives

•           Freedom is one of the fundamental characteristics of the Christian life. However, there are certain non-negotiable absolutes without which the true faith, preaching and the essential nature of the church are unthinkable. While there are a thousand things in this life about which a Christian enjoys complete freedom to believe and act as he likes, there are however certain truths and norms which he has to hold uncompromisingly for dear life.

•           Within the big spectrum of Biblical truths, there are certain things more important than the rest. The Word is not equally clear about everything. But there are also other principles and commands concerning which it insists very emphatically on faith in it and obedience to it. It stands to reason that holding to these things is absolutely essential for being a true Christian and a true church. For example, the Scriptures are not absolutely clear on the way we have to order an rule the church. But concerning God's plan of salvation and how we are saved, there can be no doubt whatsoever. Fundamentally it happens in one way, and only in one way  -  and it never changes. Depart from it, and you fall into the dark depths of eternal damnation!

            For many centuries already there has been a wonderful saying in the church: In necessariis unitas, in nonnecessariis (dubiis) libertas, in omnibus caritas. We can translate the Latin like this: In those things necessary, unity; in those things not necessary or uncertain, freedom; and in everything love.

•           One of the most remarkable characteristics of the gospel is its universal adaptability and relevance. It does not matter in which culture or century you live  -  the gospel is for you. In the soil of rich and poor, learned and uneducated, old and young, the church germinates equally well. It is because the absolutes, the necessariis of the faith, are universal and timeless. It addresses the questions and needs of all people.

•           As is true of all foundations, the absolutes of the faith lie beneath the surface. They therefore are not obvious. Especially immature Christians struggle to grasp them. In fact, to really apprehend them clearly, is one of the marks of spiritual maturity.

            Birds of a feather flock together in this world. But the church of Christ is being built by Him. And often He glorifies Himself by putting a crowd of very different people together in a church. For such wide variety of humans to live and work harmoniously together, they need to be able to distinguish between those things which are necessary and those things which are optional. But if they start emphasising issues of secondary importance, the end of that church is not far.

It is necessary to precisely cast the corner pegs of our faith in concrete. Without firm benchmarks we simply do not know how to judge contemporary teachings and practises. Without the unmoving anchors of universal, absolute and objective truth, we are like pieces of cork drifting on the sea of a thousand human opinions

•           Decades of rice water preaching has hardly equipped the church in South Africa to know the absolutes of our faith, to reason from first principles, and therefore to discern between good and bad. Too often church people are not able to digest solid Biblical food. People tend to be suspicious, even aggressive, about dogma  -  because they are unsure as to what to believe and what not. In their desperate search for solid Biblical rock beneath their feet, they read everything they can lay their hands on  -  and in the process they just get mixed up more. Alas, the typical Christian of our day is hardly equipped to face up to the relativism of today's postmodernism. It is tragic to see how hundreds of churches and thousands of Christians are ready to try out every recipe which can possibly be the answer to their insecurities. If you stand for nothing, you can be sure that you'll fall for everything.

•           While the need is acute today, there has always been a desire to clearly understand the corner pegs of our faith. From the earliest times therefore there have been attempts to formulate the fundamentals of the faith. Among other things, it was necessary to discern between heresy and orthodoxy.

            The precipitate of the above efforts we find in the numerous confessions of faith which were written through the centuries. If you study these confessions it strikes you to what extent they were formulated with insight and care. It is clear that it was the writers' purpose to formulate the essentials as accurately as possible, and to distinguish it from the non-essentials.

            It stands to reason that we must remember that these confessions are human work. It therefore remains fallible  -  and must always remain subordinate to the Word of God as only norm. However, these confessions remain very valuable in helping us to have the essentials and first principles well-formulated before us.

•           But exactly this is our problem, is it not, someone will complain. Do these confessions not vary so much, that they, more than anything else, are the cause of the divisions in the church? This common perception is the result of ignorance. The Protestant confessions agree probably as far as 95% of their content is concerned. This is true of all of them  -  from the Anglicans' 39 Articles, to the Baptists' 1689 Confession. Actually, the only differences have to do with the view of the church, and baptism.

            I hear someone asking: "What about eschatology, our views about the return of the Lord?" It truly is meaningful  -  and this illustrates the fathers' wisdom  -  that they considered eschatological detail as intra-confessional. This means that, while they all confessed the fact of Christ's return, they understood that the details of it in the Bible can be interpreted in more than one way. And exactly this kept them from casting in concrete their specific understanding of our blessed hope's details. This they considered therefore to be part of the Bible's nonnecessariis.

Three principles in a nutshell

As has been pointed out, the final authority for our faith are not the confessions (important as they are). The Bible itself is this authority. As we study the Bible, at least three formulas, so to speak, become clear as we go along. As for myself, I have found them very helpful to understand, remember, and explain the essential contents of the Bible.

•           Most important of these formulations is the so-called clarion call of the Reformation. This is what true salvation is all about:

Sola et tota Scriptura (only Scripture, but all of Scripture); Sola gratia (only grace); Solus Christus (only Christ); Sola fide (only faith); Soli Deo gloria (only the honour or glory of God).

•           Another formula focusses also on our salvation and its results:

We are saved by grace alone, on the basis of Christ's merits alone, through faith alone, for good works, and therefore according to good works.

•           Thirdly there is the following:

Our faith must be Word-based, God-centred, and Christ-focussed.

Some final thoughts

•           One of the most precious lessons we can learn in our faith  -  even churches corporately  -  is to live according to this simple saying:

Major in God's majors, not in His minors!

To the extent that we keep ourselves busy with secondary matters, to that extent is our faith less than it should be. To that extent also we are wasting time and energy and money on that which is not really central in God's will for His children. This is one of the main reasons why so many Christian's service for the Lord, does not withstand the onslaughts of time (1Cor 3:11-15). And very often this is the reason why even zealous Christians start fighting with one another.

•           Especially preachers need to learn this lesson. If their sermons are not Word-based, God-centred, and Christ-focussed, how can they expect the Lord's blessing, and that their people would be built up in the most holy faith? Stories may be enjoyable for the people, man-centred sentimentalities may cause tears in people's eyes, sjambok-preaching may frighten them  -  but nothing of this really converts people, because it is not Christ-honouring preaching. And surely we know that nothing or nobody is more central in God's Word than the Lord Jesus Christ.

            I think it is true to say that most people associate the word "to preach" with do's and don't's (do you also often hear people say: "don't preach at me!"). People tend to think of preaching in moral terms. Why? There can only be one reason - this is how the Word is often preached. Not only preachers are guilty of this, but also parents and teachers.

            This is however not at all what the Bible teaches! Preaching according to the Bible is proclaiming the mighty deeds of God  -  especially His wonderful works of salvation in Christ! Listen to the apostle Paul in 1Cor 2:2: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." And the apostle reminds the Galatians: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified" (Gl 3:1) (ESV).

            Spurgeon's Christ-centeredness is clear in the first words he spoke in the newly built  Metropolitan Tabernacle  -  the church building which had to accommodate the crowds of people who came to listen to his preaching: "May the theme of the preaching in this building always be the person of Jesus Christ .... if somebody asks me about my deepest convictions of faith, I can give only one answer: Jesus Christ, and Him alone!"

•           In his book, The Great Evangelical Disaster, Francis Schaeffer writes about a rocky ridge high up in the mountains above his home in Switzerland. When it snows heavily, he writes, this ridge is covered completely, so that you cannot see it. But when the snow melts,

and because this rocky outcrop is a water divide, the water flows to different sides of the ridge  -  down into the catchment areas of the Rhine River and the Rhone River. The Rhine flows into the icy waters of the North Sea, and the Rhone into the warm waters of the Mediterranean  -  more than a thousand kilometres to the south.

            This is what a water divide does, Schaeffer points out  -  it cuts, it divides. Water divides determine destinies.

            Then he goes on to point out that a church's view of Scripture is such a water divide  -  it determines destinies. But, of course, this is also true of other Biblical absolutes. What we need to understand, is that God's truth is a truth in equilibrium. Move the bench marks just a half a little bit  -  and a tilting takes place which determines peoples' fate.

Let us never forget, the church which must lead our children and grandchildren in the ways of eternity, are being formed today. What an enormous calling rests on us!

A few questions for discussion

1.         For which values and truths are you prepared to die? Where do you draw the line?

2.         The concept of fundamentalism has its origin in the beginning of the 20th century, when a number of evangelical leaders and theologians explained the fundamental truths of the Christian faith in a series of books. Since then this word has taken on a very negative meaning. How do you understand this word today? Is the preaching in your church fundamentalist, or not? What do you think about this issue?

3.         If you look at the church of our day (I mean in general), what do you think of it? What are you doing about it?

4.         With some people who call themselves Christians, it is very difficult to enjoy fellowship. Why? What do you consider to be the minimum conditions for true fellowship?

5.         What do you know about the concept of Post-modernism  -  the world view which dominates the thinking of our society  -  especially the minds of our young people?

6.         What are you doing to equip your children and your church for the philosophical and theological challenges of tomorrow? How do you teach them the fundamental truths of the Word of God  -  and to think from first principles?

7.         If we must be careful not to make our children little Pharisees by simply giving them a mere moralistic education, what then must we teach them?

 

-o0o-

 

Postnet Suite No. 148                            Tel. 011 476 2907 (home)

Private Bag X1                                       Cell. 082 848 9396

Northcliff                                                 E-mail: nico.vanderwalt@reformed.org.za

2115

ANTIPAS HERALD No.41 - THE TRIUNITY OF THE GODHEAD - A fundamental truth of our faith

The revelation about God as triune is surely one of the deepest mysteries in the Bible. Who can get to the bottom of it?
    About the being of God we can only know what He reveals to us. And perhaps more than anything else, the revelation about the Trinity is more than any man can fathom.
    Therefore, when we consider this subject, there is no room for human speculations. Humbly we have to stick to Biblical revelation. We dare not depart one millimeter from it.

●    In a nutshell we can state God's revelation concerning His Person thus: God is one Being, who exists for all eternity as three Persons. -  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That does not mean that He is three separate Gods. But on the other hand, He is not merely three manifestations of one God. In His essential being He is one; but at the same time He is three Persons.
    The Bible leads us to make at least three statements concerning God's triunity:
    Firstly, the only and living God is for all eternity unchangeably and indivisibly óne.
    Secondly, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are separate Persons.
    Thirdly, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are each one fully and equally God.

●    Because God's triunity is so fundamental, it causes this doctrine to govern almost all other doctrines of the Christian faith: the divinity and person of Jesus Christ; the incarnation of the Son, His work of reconciliation, etc. Without keeping this in mind, not one of the vital doctrines of the Christian faith can be understood.
   
●    It is not overstating the case to say that the doctrine of the triunity of God lies at the heart of the Christian faith. The are certain monotheistic faiths, and there are polytheistic religions, but in none of them will you find the concept of triunity.

●    The revelation of God's trinity always reminds us that God is not an impersonal, unemotional, or lonely Being. It helps us remember that His attributes of relationship would in any case have been able to find full expression, even if He had not created anyone outside Himself.
There are clear indications in Scripture that there have been intimate love, fellowship, respect, trust, and joy between the three Persons of the Godhead since all eternity past.

How God's trinity is being revealed

●    Jews and Muslims find the doctrine of God's trinity very offensive. They accuse Christians of doing violence to the Old Testament's monotheism. The question is therefore whether the trinity of God is indeed being revealed in the Bible, and specifically whether it is to be found in the Old Testament?

●    Although God's trinity is an unmistakable revelation throughout the Bible, we have to understand that it is not being revealed in explicit terms. Nowhere in Scripture will you find a definition or a set of propositions explaining it. No, the revelation  -  that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is each one, in His own right, truly and equally God  -   is given to us in fragmentary and subtle statements from beginning to end in the Word. And, like so many Scriptural truths, this revelation has a progressive character.
    It is therefore necessary to gather together, as it were, these portions of revelation to come to a well developed understanding of the Trinity.

●    To formulate such a doctrine, it is sometimes necessary to use words not found in Scripture. Because this doctrine is so different from anything we find in this life, it is not only difficult to understand, but it is also very difficult to put into words. In the process it has been necessary to create some new words. So the word, "Trinity", came into being. This is the reason why you cannot find it in Scripture. It nevertheless helps us to easily express what Scripture teaches about the deepest being of the living God.

The Old Testament

●    It is highly improbable that anyone who reads the Old Testament without any knowledge of the New, would come to the insight of the truth of the Trinity as we know it today. This does not mean, however, that the Old Testament says nothing about the Trinity. It does indeed. It also does not mean that Old Testament believers were totally ignorant about it, although they definitely did not understand it as clearly as we do today.

    •    The well-known theologian, Benjamin Warfield, illustrated it like this: the Old Testament revelation about God's trinity is like a treasure chamber in half-light. Without bright light you cannot determine exactly what is going on. If someone would however bring into the room a strong light, the rich contents come into clear view immediately. The light adds nothing to the treasure, it merely brings it to view.
    Concerning the Trinity, the New Testament is such a light.

●    At least the following in the Old Testament alludes to God's trinity.

    •     The name of God, Elohim, which we find already in Gen 1:1 and which is being used more than 2500 times in the Old Testament, appears consistently as a plural. It, however, always is used with verbs in the singular. Probably this  points to God's trinity.

    •    Gen 1:26-27 is meaningful.. First pronouns in the plural are being used: "Then God said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." Immediately after this the singular is used again: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
    Also in Gen 3:22 we get the same: "And the Lord God (Hb. Jahweh Elohim) said, "The man has now become like one of us ..."
    And when the tower of Babel was built, it says that the Lord said, "Come let us go down ..." (Gen 11:7).
    When Isaiah is called, the Lord says: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Is 6:8).

    •     In a number of Old testament utterances, nouns in the plural are being used to refer to God.

        ◦    Ps 149:2: "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker (lit. Makers), let the people of Zion be glad in their King."

        ◦    Remember your Creator (lit. Creators) in the days of your youth ..."

        ◦    Is 54:5: "For your Maker v (lit. Makers) is your Husband (lit. Husbands)  -  the Lord Almighty is His name".

    •    In the Old Testament there are portions where one Person is being called "God" or "Lord", while He is being distinguished from another whom is being referred to as God as well.

        ◦    Ps 45:7-8: "Your throne, o God, will last for ever and ever; a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
    Here we have two persons who are both called "God" (Hb. Elohim). And without doubt what is being said of them cannot refer to a human being.
    It should therefore not surprise us that the author to the Hebrews applies this verse to the Son (Hb 1:8).

        ◦    Ps 110:1: "The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
    The Lord Jesus works with this in Mt 22:41-46 as He proves to the Pharisees that He is the Messiah  -  as well as truly God. He quotes Ps 110 and points out that David refers to two persons, calling both of them God. And for whom did Jahweh say, "sit at My right hand", if that person is not God Himself? Only someone unwilling and obstinate would deny that we have here the Father addressing the Son. And it is clear that this is exactly how Jesus interprets it.
    As additional confirmation David continues in Ps 110:4 with what Jahweh says to Adonai: "The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." And this promise the author applies more than once to Jesus Christ (Hb 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:17, 21).

        ◦    There can therefore be no doubt that at least some poets of the Psalms were aware of the fact that there are more than one Person in the Godhead.

        ◦    Is 63:10: "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is said to be grieved, which implies His personality

●    We can go on and on like this, but the above shows clearly that the Old Testament is not quiet about the fact of the Trinity. It was not always very obvious, but for one who is attentive it is as clear as sunlight.

The New Testament

●    If you read the New Testament you find the surprising fact that the triunity of God is nowhere explained, but everywhere presupposed. It is simply accepted that readers are not uncertain about it  (cp. Mt 28:19; Mk 1:9-11; Jh 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:5-15; 1Cor 12:3-6; 2Cor 13:14; Eph 1:3-14; 2:18; 4:4-6; Gl 4:4-6; Rm 8:1-11; 2Th 2:13-14; Tit 3:4-6; 1Pt 1:2; Jude 20-21; Rev 1:4).
    How are we to understand it that the Old Testament was apparently written before the doctrine of the Trinity was revealed clearly, and the New Testament seemingly after this revelation?

●    The New Testament revelation about the Trinity is not primarily given to us in words, but in actions. We see the fact of the Trinity when God the Son comes to this world. We see it when the Holy Spirit is poured out on the day of Pentecost. For these two things to happen, the Old Testament was a preparation, and the New Testament the result. From the beginning, after all, God revealed Himself to us to a large extent in deeds  -  therefore in the streambed of history.
    The triunity of God therefore only comes to clear revelation when God's plan of redemption reaches its climax. In fact, the culmination of God's plan of salvation is really God's final revelation concerning His triunity.

●    New Testament believers understood this doctrine, because they understood the gospel. They understood that God the Father loved them so much that He had sent His own and dearly beloved Son to bring about their salvation. They understood that the Son had to be truly God in order to save them. They understood that the Holy Spirit, who came to them on the day of Pentecost, had been sent by the Father and the Son. They understood that He is a distinct Person, and that what He brings about in them, could in no way be done by someone less than God.

●    The basic New Testament revelation and proof of the triunity of God really, therefore, comes to expression in facts rather than in words. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the New Testament proof of God's triunity.
    Yes, of course there are many allusions to the triunity of God in the Bible, but the final proof of it is to be found in the fact that both the Son and the Spirit are truly God. It really boils down to this: If the Jesus of the New Testament is truly God the Son, and if the Holy Spirit is truly the Spirit of God, and God the Spirit  -  the triunity of God is a fact. If not, the triune God does not exist.

The Trinity in church history

The early church was bombarded from all sides with the many idols of those days. The result was that the emphasis of Christian preaching was on the unity of the Godhead: "We are not serving a multitude of idols; we are serving the óne true and living God of heaven and earth!" They emphasised that this one God had revealed Himself to man  in the person of Jesus Christ.
    This does not mean that the early Christians were unaware of the Trinity; to the contrary. They, however, found it very difficult to formulate the doctrine of the Trinity. It would take a long time before the church came to such a formulation.
    Perhaps the heresies of Gnosticism and Arianism, which both denied the reality of the Trinity, more than anything else forced the early church to give much thought to Biblical revelation of the Trinity.
    The two church fathers who played the main role in the development of this doctrine were both from North Africa: Tertullian and Origen. They lived in the last half of the second century and the beginning of the third.
    Finally this doctrine  -  as we understand it to this day  -  was formulated by the councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381). From the time of Nicea to 8 years before Constantinople, Athanasius, bishop of the church in Alexandria, played a heroic role to prevent the church being overcome by the heresy of  Arianism.

Some points of application

●    How are we to respond to God's trinity? So exalted He is, that one can only react in one way  -  to worship Him as the holy Trinity. And how does one worship Him; what do you say? You can only echo back to Him what He has revealed concerning Himself. If you try to say more, there is a real possibility of falling into unholy speculation. And therefore one would often just keep quiet in His presence, overwhelmed by His glory. But precisely this is the first practical implication of this Scriptural truth at which we are looking.
    Never can we busy ourselves with something more exalted than worship. This is really the reason for our creation. And this is the deepest reason why we have received life eternal.
    Meditate often over these things. Then worship una substantia tres personae. And if the words clot in your throat  -  be quiet before Him and stoop low. Often this is the highest form of worship.

●    God has deep joy in fellowship and communion. The mutual love and fellowship between the Persons of the Trinity  -  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit  -  we find spread out over the pages of the Bible.
    Every time the Father speaks to the Son  here on earth, He expresses His love for the Son (Lk 3:22; Mt 17:5). And the Son had no stronger passion than to obey the Father. And what does the Spirit desire more than glorifying the Son (Jh 16:14-15)?
    And of course  -  what a wonderful truth this is!  -  communion with the triune God is our highest and eternal calling (Jh 17:3). And we enjoy this privilege, because He wants it, and has ordained it.

●    God is a God of cooperation. Did the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit not decide before the creation to glorify themselves  -  by creating, and ultimately saving an elect people from a fallen humanity? Do each one of them not have a specific role in this process?

●    Let us be intensely grateful for God's trinity.

    •    This made it possible, while the Father remained sovereign and in full control in heaven, for the Son to become man and dwell among us. What would have become of us if He did not come as great Prophet, Priest and King to this world?
   
    •    Because God is triune, the Holy Spirit could be sent to this world by the Father and the Son. And what would we have been without Him  -  without His regenerating, illuminating, assuring, sanctifying and equipping work? Without Him it would have been impossible to love, serve, please and glorify our beloved Saviour.

●    Let us pray correctly to the triune God. Often one wonders Whom you should address when you pray  -  the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit.
    Many of our prayers will be addressed to the Trinity.
    As a rule, however, we are to address the Father  -  based on the mediatory work of the Son, depending on the Holy Spirit to lead us. This is the teaching of our Lord himself in the Lord's prayer.
    This does not mean, however, that we cannot pray to the Son, especially when you pray about His specific work. He is truly God, after all.
    There is very little evidence in the Bible, if any, of prayer to the Spirit. Yet it cannot be wrong to address Him now and then. There is, after all, such a thing as fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14). But let us remember, He is, by way of speaking, the shy Person of the holy Trinity. And His passion is to glorify the Son. And what He does in our lives, is nothing else than bringing about the will of the Lord Jesus.
    But having said all the above, let us remember: normally we will address the Father in our prayers.
                                                                         ❦


Nico van der Walt
Randburg
April 2013
T: 011 476 2907 ; 082 848 9396
E: nico.vanderwalt@reformed.org.za

ANTIPAS HERALD No.21 - TO KNOW GOD - Our most high calling

NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT for the individual believer, the church, or theology, than true knowledge of the Triune God.
    On the one hand it is true that unworthy and inferior opinions about God lie at the root of most failings and errors in the church. On the other hand it is equally true that there has never been a real revival in the church in which the fear of God  -  and therefore high and holy convictions about God  -  did not play a central role.
    It is therefore true that nothing gives a deeper insight into a church, a person or a preacher, than the inner beliefs concerning God. And, let us remember, these beliefs inevitably come to expression  -  either in words and deeds, or in silence and omissions.

A vitally important matter

It is common to hear Christians talk about a personal relationship with God. Does such a thing exist? And what does it mean in practical terms?
    The Bible does not speak in so many words of a personal relationship with God. Yet the Word is full of it as an experiential reality known by all believers. In fact, it lies at the very heart of what it means to be a Christian. New life in Christ means to stand in a new relationship to God. The expression most frequently used by Scripture for this, is to know God.

❏    Time and time again, and consistently, the Bible emphasizes the vital importance of knowing God. We quote from the NASB.

    •     Jer 9:23-24: "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the Lord."

    •     Hosea often speaks about the knowledge of God:
    In 2:18-20 the Lord promises: "In that day I will also make a covenant for them ... And I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord." In chapter 4:6 the prophet mourns because his people are destroyed by a lack of knowledge. What is this knowledge he is referring to? Only a few verses earlier the answer is given: "For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land" (4:1). Finally Hosea puts an urgent appeal before his people: "So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth" (6:3). And he supports his summons with a wonderful promise of the Lord: "For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (6:6).

    •     It should therefore not surprise us when the Lord Jesus prays in His high-priestly prayer: "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

❏     A study of the many pronouncements in the Bible about the worth and necessity of the knowledge of God, reveals among other things the following:

    •     It is the essence of eternal life (John 17:3).

    •     It is man's highest calling (Hos 6:3; Mic 6:8; Phl 3:8-10).

    •     It lies at the heart of life in the New Covenant (Hos 2:18-20).

    •     It pleases God (Jer 9:23-24; Hos 4:1, 6; 6:6; Mal 3:16-18).

    •     It is our highest boast and privilege (Jer 9:23-24).

    •     It is true learning and the cornerstone of real theology (Prov 9:10).

    •     It goes hand in hand with true wisdom and discernment (Ex 33:13).

    •     It is a channel through which grace, peace and godliness flow into our lives (2Pet 1:2-3).

    •     It is a key to Christian obedience and love (1John 2:3-4; 4:7-8).

What does it mean to know God?

❏     First of all it is important to put two truths squarely in place:

    •     Firstly, both the Hebrew and the Greek words for "knowledge" are rich and meaningful concepts: to know through observation, contemplation and experience. It refers to both objective knowledge and subjective knowledge.

        ~    The Biblical concept "to know" often points to a very intimate relationship and communion between persons. In Gen 4:1 et al, for example, the word is used for sexual intercourse between Adam and Eve.

    •     Secondly, if one endeavours to describe the knowledge of God biblically, it soon strikes you how often it is associated with the understanding and experience of God's attributes – the excellencies of His character (see for example Jer 9:24 and Hos 2:19-20, quoted above).

❏    The knowledge of God has three distinguishable but inseparable elements. The extent to which these things are a reality in my life, is the extent to which I know God.

The knowledge of God is
an understanding of that which the Triune God has revealed about Himself,
which hangs together with
an ongoing, conscious and personal walk with Him,
which brings about
an insight into His will and ways.

❏    The first element concerns an understanding of God's self-revelation in His Word. It has to do with study, and the intellectual or cognitive insight it brings.
    In 1John 5:20 the apostle writes: "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true ...".

    •    Because the knowledge of God is more than being conversant with facts about Him, some think that they can get away without it. Because intellectual understanding is not enough, they consider it to be unnecessary. This is a fatal mistake! How can we ever know something or a person without a clear understanding of basic relevant facts about it or him? For that matter, as insight grows, knowledge grows.

    •    Without disciplined intellectual (and prayerful, it goes without saying) study of what God has revealed about Himself in Scripture, one lands up in a bog of subjective and biased arbitrariness. And deception becomes inevitable: we create a God after our own image. So it leads to effective idolatry, as well as all the distorted expressions of life which inevitably grows from it.
    The man or woman who worships an imaginary god, will have to be satisfied with an imaginary salvation.

    •    About the study of God's character in Scripture, J.I. Packer says: "No topic is greater, grander, or more important, and by the same token none is more demanding. It is the theological Mount Everest, and no one ever masters it or does it full justice."

❏    The second element of the knowledge of God is our personal relationship with God. "Enoch walked with God" – like all godly men and women through the ages (Gen 5:22, 24).

My personal relationship with God finds expression in two ways:
on the one hand in my believing identification, my grateful experience, and my reverent recognition of His attributes operating in my life,
and
on the other hand in my believing trust in His promises, my loving commitment to His glory, and my grateful obedience to His commands.

    •    It is very necessary to think about God in philosophical and objective terms. But we are never to stop at the mere theological. God has not revealed Himself to man simply for the sake of intellectual and speculative reflection. No, He has revealed Himself to us so that we can worship, love and serve Him in everyday life. This is why the Bible, when it speaks about God, very often does not limit itself to abstract truths about Him, but time and again describes His attributes in personal and practical terms.
    The Bible considers a person to know a biblical truth only if and when the person has allowed that truth to govern his life. And never is this truer than when it concerns the knowledge of God.

    •    It is therefore necessary to emphasize this aspect of the knowledge of God in order not to fall into a mere cerebral and scholastic view of God – something which might be doctrinally very correct, yet emotionally and spiritually totally dead.
    But it is equally important to remember – the above definition makes it very clear – that the richness and depth of my walk with God is dependent on my understanding of His self-revelation and promises in Christ.

    •    To walk with God is not a subjective, mystical dialogue with God – as many pretend to enjoy in an ongoing way.
    It is on the one hand to look at my whole life through the polished spectacles of the Word so as to see God's intimate involvement in the circumstances and progress of my life; and on the other, to faithfully live out the implications of what God has revealed about Himself – and, of course, of His explicit commands in the Word. It is in other words my response to His saving initiatives, His ongoing covenant love, and His sovereign rule in my life.
    In this way the heart of the covenant of grace becomes a daily reality to me – that God will be a Father to me, and I a child to Him.

    •    Luther once said: "The Christian faith is a matter of personal pronouns." This is beautifully illustrated in David's life – especially as it comes to expression in the Psalms. Take for example Ps 139: he writes about God's exalted characteristics – His omniscience, His omnipresence, and His omnipotence. But he does not do so in abstract terms as one might have expected, but according to his personal experiences of God's attributes.

        ~    The Name of the Lord is mentioned 6 times; and personal pronouns referring to Him about 30 times. And to himself David refers approximately 50 times.
    We can therefore clearly see that in David's deepest spiritual experiences only two persons are essentially involved – David himself, and the Lord his God. This is why he does not speak of "He", but of "You", not of "people", but of "I".

❏    The third element has to do with insight in God's will and ways.
    In Exodus 33:13 we find Moses pleading with the Lord: "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight."
    Ps 103:7 tells us: "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel."

    •    Understanding God's ways has to do with a wisdom and growing insight into my role in the outworking of God's will in my life. This is accurately expressed in Rm 12:2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

    •    This matter, however, concerns more than merely my personal obedience. It is also an insight into how God normally works in this world, in His church, and with people. It is an understanding of his universal principles. It is the comprehension of what He delights in and what He detests.

    •    This aspect of the knowledge of God increases to the extent that the first two elements become a reality in my life.

A few pointers on the highway of the knowledge of God

❏    In the first instance I have to grasp that I have no higher calling than pursuing the knowledge of God.

    •    Micah 6:8: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
    Phl 3:8-10: "... I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order ... that I may know Him ...".

    •    The Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q & A 1: "What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."

❏    Let us embrace it with both arms: God wants to reveal Himself to His children. And He wants to walk with them. Is this not at the heart of the Old Testament promises of the New Covenant? (Hos 2:19-20; Jer 31:31-34).

❏    Let our desire and aim always be God Himself – therefore the Giver and not merely His gifts. What greater insult can there be than to be interested in someone only for the sake of what you can get out of him?

❏    God can only be known in and through Jesus Christ.

    •    Firstly, the Word who became man is God's highest, perfect and final revelation to us (Jh 1:14; 14:8-9). No one can know God properly unless he or she looks intently, intensely, and again and again at the Lord Jesus Christ. Hb 1:3 puts it like this: "And He (Christ) is the radiance of His (God's) glory and the exact representation of His nature ...".
    Let us never forget, Jesus Christ is the clearest window through whom we see who and what God is!

    •    Secondly, Christ is the only Mediator between God and man. Without Him no fellowship with God is possible (Jh 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1Tm 2:5).

❏    This revelation comes through the Spirit, who works through the Word.

    •    It is possible to see something of God's divine glory and eternal power in creation (Rm 1:20). But it is not nearly enough to lead us to a living relational knowledge of God. For that we are totally dependent on His special revelation in the Word – which, of course, has as central theme God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ. In God's Word we have all we need to know Him as we should.

    •    This does not mean that anyone can study the Bible like any ordinary book. God's truth – especially the mysteries of the New Covenant – remains hidden unless the Holy Spirit enlightens one's inner heart and mind. Yes, it is true that I must seek the knowledge of God, but it will only come to something if it happens in prayerful dependence. I can know God only to the extent that He reveals Himself to me through His Holy Spirit (Mt 11:27; 16:15-17; 1Cor 2:6-16).

❏    Without regular, disciplined and persevering prayer we do not progress one inch on this road of highest calling. In fact, while praying, we experience our personal relationship with God most intensely.

    •    Question and answer 116 of the Heidelberg Catechism: "Why is prayer necessary for Christians? Because it is the chief part of the thankfulness which God requires of us; and because God will give His grace and Holy Spirit only to such, as earnestly and without ceasing, beg them from Him, and render thanks unto Him for them."
    Is growth in the knowledge of the Lord not grace from A to Z? And can there be any possibility of this growth without the Holy Spirit? And shall I know the fulness of the Spirit if I don't live a prayerful life?

❏    The knowledge of God – especially our walk with Him – without exception brings its quota of emotional experiences. Can we talk of a love-relationship without that? But the norm for all Christian experience also applies here: it is only real and authentic if it grows in the soil of Biblical truth.

❏    God only reveals Himself to humble, childlike and totally dependent faith (Mt 11:25-30). Haughtiness does not progress; fastidiousness will end in failure.

❏    The knowledge of God is not for casual and double-hearted seekers. It has to be coveted. This is an ongoing calling which has to be pursued with my entire being (Hos 6:3).

    •    Jer 29:13: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

❏    The knowledge of God is for those who serve the Lord in love, devotion and commitment.

    •    Jh 14:21, 23: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.

❏    He or she who wishes to grow in the knowledge of God must be content to take out of the Lord's hand not only that which is pleasant, but also His moulding discipline and chastisement (Hb 12:4-12).

❏    Last but not least, often one has to walk this mountain road on your own.
    It is true that few things will better assist you in this ambitious endeavour than the fellowship of brothers and sisters in the Lord. True discipleship always has a corporate dimension. Without the means of grace that goes hand in hand with a Biblical church life, one very easily goes astray.
    But in the final analysis each of us has to carry his own load. And large sections of the route – especially the higher you go – are along narrow ledges where it is possible to move in single file only.

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Nico van der Walt                Tel. 011 476 2907
Postnet Suite No. 148          Cell. 082 848 9396
Private Bag X1                     E-mail: nico.vanderwalt@reformed.org.za
Northcliff
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